Radiator with resilient mounting



March 3, 1964 M. H. BRYANT RADIATOR WITH RESILIENT MOUNTING Filed Nov. 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 M. H. BRYANT RADIATOR WITH RESILIENT MOUNTING 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1960 IN VEN T OR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,123,170 RADZATOR RESELIENT MOUNTING Marvin H. Bryant, Fort Wayne, Ind, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 69,676 3 Claims. (Cl. 180-68) This invention relates to radiators and more particularly to radiators of the type adapted for use in automotive vehicles in dissipating excess heat from internal combustion engines.

Shocks and vibrations imparted in the operation of automotive vehicles have been contributing causes limiting the life of cooling radiators. Various steps have been taken to reduce the strains on the radiators. One successful mode of construction employed has been substantially completely to insulate each radiator from adjacent supporting structure by means of rubber mountings. Such construction is disclosed in the United States patent application S.N. 53,449, filed September 1, 1960, in the name of Marvin H. Bryant, and entitled Resiliently Mounted Radiator Assembly. The present invention constitutes an improvement in the use of which header tanks are given more latitude of movement with a consequent increase in the resiliency permitted the radiator core in avoiding strains otherwise transmitted because of shocks and vibrations.

An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a radiator with an improved mounting for avoiding strains otherwise encountered by distortions, vibrations and shocks transmitted to the radiator by the radiator support. Another object is to provide a structure for substantially insulating a radiator from vibrations imparted to its rigid support and also imparting a maximum freedom of movement to header tanks incorporated in the unitary structure of the radiator.

A feature of the invention is a radiator having oppositely disposed header tanks supported by a core and side members, the latter members being resiliently retained on fixed support means as substantially the sole support for the radiator.

These and other important features of the invention will now be described in detail in the specification and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cross-flow radiator with a rubber or resilient mounting representing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 22 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged and partially sectional view of portions of the radiator assembly and as looking in the direction of the arrows 33 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged and partially sectional view showing details of construction and taken along the line 4 in FIGURE -1.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded View of parts shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view similar to that of FIGURE 1 but illustrating a modified form of rubber or resilient mounting.

FIGURES 7 and 8 are sectional and enlarged views looking in the direction of the arrows 7- 7 and 88, respectively, in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is an exploded view of parts shown in FIG- URE 8.

A radiator for automotive use is conventionally made of header tanks communicating by means of a core interposed between them. Also, the core of each radiator is enclosed by side members which extend from each header tank to the other header tank. The header tanks may move slightly with relation to the side members as disclosed in the United States patent application S.N. 14,264, filed March 11, 1960, in the name of Raymond E. Seekins, having a common assignee and entitled Heat Exchanger with Header Tanks. The present invention may very advantageously be used in connection with such construction as the tanks would then be given much latitude in movement. The present invention is not limited to use with such construction, however, and the drawings show embodiments in which the header tanks, side members and cores are all joined with no sliding movement permitted between the tanks and side members within a given unit.

In FIGURE 1, rigid supporting means is shown in the form of structural elements 10 and 12 which are joined to a vehicle frame. A strap 14 extends horizontally from the structural member 12 to support an inverted U- shaped bracket 16. This bracket is welded as at 18 to the strap 14-. Two upwardly turned U-shaped brackets 20 are welded as at 22. to the structural member 10. Complementary bracket members 24 and 26 are utilized to fit within brackets 16 and 20. The bracket portion 24 is welded as at 28 to a side member 3% forming a top portion of a radiator. The radiator also includes a bottom portion or side member 31 which is joined to the brackets 26 as at 32 by welding.

The radiator shown in FIGURE 1 not only includes the side members 363 and 31 but also two opposing header tanks 34 and 36. These tanks communicate by means of a core 38 so that air passing through the core may cool the liquid passing between the tanks as is conventional. The two header tanks 34 and 36 cooperate with the side members 30 and 31 in encircling the core 38 to form a unitary radiator construction. The top side member 30 is provided with a filler neck 4t)- having an overflow tube 42 and a closure 44. This side member is also provided with an inlet fitting .6 for receiving engine coolant by means of a hose connection not shown. The bottom side member 31 is provided with a similar fitting 48 through which cooled fluid may be returned to the engine by means of another hose connection.

It will be understood that the fittings 46 and 48 could be parts of the tanks 34 and 36 insofar as the present invention is concerned and the side members 30 may be rigid and solid portions restraining undue expansion of the core 38. The specific construction of the side membets 3% and 31 is of no moment insofar as the present invention is concerned and, therefore, the details thereof are not further described herein.

Resilient and distortionable pad material 50 is retained between the cooperating portions of each support bracket arrangement so that the radiator construction is substantially insulated from the supporting means and 12. in this respect, attention is particularly directed to the clearance spaces 52 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 and similar clearance spaces '54 existent with regard to the lower bracket arrangements.

From the above, it may be seen that the radiator construction of FIGURE 1 is substantially completely insulated from the rigid supporting means 10 and 12 of the radiator. The only other supporting means for the radiator would be the flexible hose connections (not shown) leading from the vehicle engine to the fittings 46 and 48. Shocks and vibrations and possible distortions are not transmitted from the rigid supporting means 10 and 12 to the radiator because of the resiliency of the material 5%.

In FIGURE 6, the rigid supporting means is again shown at 16) and 12. The radiator again comprises two header tanks 34 and 36 with appropriate side members 3 3 and 31 as in FIGURE 1. In the present instance, however, the resilient supporting means interposed between the rigid supporting means and the radiator includes annuli 613 of rubber. The upper side member 3% is provided with an upwardly projecting cylinder portion or male member 62 which bears a flange 64 and this flange is welded as at 66 to the member 30. A cup or female member 63 is attached in its inverted position and by means of welding 76 to the underside of a strap 72 extending horizontally from a fixed support 12. One of the annuli 60 is anchored in between the strap 72 and the upper side member 39 by placing it around the projection 62 and locking it within the cup 68 when the radiator is placed in the vehicle. Clearances are provided so that the annulus insulates the radiator from the support.

The bottom side member 31 in FIGURE 6 is similarly supported on the rigid support 14 by means of two annuli 6b retained Within flanged cylinders or female members 76 and around cylindrical protuberances or male members 78. The cylinders 76 are retained on the support it by means of welding 8%. Welding 82 is utilized to hold the cylindrical protuberances 78 to the lower side member 31. Clearances as at 84 and 86 are such that the radiator is Well insulated from the rigid support it I claim:

1. A cross flow radiator having vertically extending elongated side tanks and horizontal top and bottom side members connecting said tanks, a radiator core encompassed by said tanks and side members, rigid support means, resilient and distortionable material located only on the top and bottom sides of said radiator and interposed between each of said side members and said rigid support means and spaced from said tanks, and the arrangement being such that said material is the sole material connecting said radiator to said rigid support means.

2. A cross flow radiator, having side tanks connected by a radiator core and top and bottom side members to.

form an integral unit, a rigid upper support, a rigid lower support, resilient rubber pad material spaced from said tanks and anchored in position between each of said side members and one of said supports, and the arrangement being such that said rubber pad material is on only the top and bottom sides of the said radiator unit and is adapted substantially to isolate said integral unit radiator from vibrations imparted to said supports.

3. A cross flow radiator as set forth in claim 2, said resilient rubber pad material being in the form of annuli, male and female members interposed between said rigid supports and said top and bottom side members, and said rubber pad material being anchored in position by said male and female members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,593,245 Cutler July 20, 1926 1,623,473 Gurney Apr. 5, 1927 2,755,874 Adloif July 24, 1956 2,919,882 Barkalow Ian. 5, 1960 

1. A CROSS FLOW RADIATOR HAVING VERTICALLY EXTENDING ELONGATED SIDE TANKS AND HORIZONTAL TOP AND BOTTOM SIDE MEMBERS CONNECTING SAID TANKS, A RADIATOR CORE ENCOMPASSED BY SAID TANKS AND SIDE MEMBERS, RIGID SUPPORT MEANS, RESILIENT AND DISTORTIONABLE MATERIAL LOCATED ONLY ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM SIDES OF SAID RADIATOR AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND SAID RIGID SUPPORT MEANS AND SPACED FROM SAID TANKS, AND THE ARRANGEMENT BEING SUCH THAT SAID MATERIAL IS THE SOLE MATERIAL CONNECTING SAID RADIATOR TO SAID RIGID SUPPORT MEANS. 